Eva Safar

Building Success on Her Own Terms

What inspired you to pursue the path you’re on today? Was there a moment that solidified your decision?

I started my first business at 19 years old, so entrepreneurship has always been in my DNA. My father and I launched it together, and while it ultimately failed, the lessons I carried from that heartbreak shaped me in ways I didn’t fully understand until years later.

I stepped into corporate believing it was the “safer” path. Over the years, I led marketing and commerce teams for billion-dollar brands, became a VP, and hit millionaire status by 35. But as my salary grew, so did the emptiness. I was pouring myself into roles that only asked for more, and no matter how much I gave, it never felt like enough.

After being laid off for the second time — and seriously considering retirement — I realized it wasn’t about the next role. It was about returning to what had always lit me up: building something of my own and helping others bring their visions to life. This time, I would build on my terms.

You run a peer advisory group for business owners. Tell us about that.

One of the most transformational things I get to do is run Peer Advisory Boards. Imagine walking into a room where everyone understands the weight of leading a successful business, and their only agenda is to help you win. That’s what a peer advisory board is: accomplished owners who become your trusted allies, offering perspective, accountability, and the confidence to make better decisions, faster.

Business leadership doesn’t have to be lonely. You got into business for yourself—but you don’t have to do it by yourself.

What’s one of the biggest sacrifices you’ve had to make, and what did it teach you about yourself?

In 2022, I made the decision to leave corporate for good. I walked away from the salary, the title, and the illusion of safety — to serve business owners who care about people, not just profits.

It was a sacrifice of certainty for possibility. Life is made up of choices, and each one sets us on a new path. Choosing entrepreneurship again meant embracing both the freedom and the responsibility. If I don’t like where it’s going, I can change it. That’s the gift — we’re never stuck.

How do you define success on your own terms?

For me, success is about alignment — living and working in a way that reflects who I truly am, not who the world told me to be.

By traditional standards, I had “success” in corporate: income, influence, and title. But inside, I was depleted and disconnected. I was shrinking to fit in spaces that never really saw me.

Walking away allowed me to reclaim the bold, risk-taking spirit of my younger self — the 11-year-old who helped run the family business, the 19-year-old who launched her first company. She’s still here. Now, I live and work without asking permission, and I help other leaders do the same.

What personal motto or belief keeps you grounded through the ups and downs?

“The only constant in life is change.”

That truth applies when life happens to you — and when you decide to change things yourself: your attitude, your mind, your path. Seasons shift, people grow, and we get to choose how we respond.

This perspective has carried me through layoffs, failures, and reinventions. It reminds me that no season lasts forever — and every ending is also a beginning.

Who is a woman—past or present—who has profoundly influenced you?

My godmother, Aunt Jackie, was the first “boss babe” I ever knew. As a corporate controller — and the only woman at her level — she commanded respect with her intelligence, work ethic, and ability to handle conflict with grace.

She hired me as a summer intern in college, and I got to see firsthand how a woman can lead with both strength and compassion. Years later, when I found myself as the only woman at the table, I drew on her example. I leaned on my intuition, education, and life experience to lead high-performing teams with vision and heart.

How do you start your day in a way that sets the tone for success?

This past year, I started a new morning ritual that’s changed everything. I wake up early and spend quiet, intentional time before the day begins. Instead of jumping into tasks, I ask myself questions: What am I working toward? What am I grateful for? How do I want to show up today?

I began this practice about a year after I started my own coaching practice. Beginning my day this way helps me lead from clarity, not chaos—something I also help my clients cultivate in their own businesses.

Eva Safar’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and courage. Born in Iraq and raised in the U.S., she carved her way from outsider to Fortune 500 executive — only to realize that success without freedom wasn’t success at all. Today, as Owner of TAB Denver North, she helps entrepreneurs grow thriving businesses without losing themselves in the process. Her mission is simple: to show leaders that work can be both prosperous and deeply fulfilling.

Reprints of Boss Babes Magazine featuring Eva Safar on the cover are available for purchase through our on-demand print vendor.